1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a projection television system in which images formed, by means of electric signals as a result of changes of transmittance and reflectivity of the light, on an image display element are magnified and projected on a screen, and to projection lens preferable to be used therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There has been a projection television system as the display devices with large image planes. The CRT type projection television systems in which images of high brightness on the CRT are projected on the screen by means of the projection lens have been already used practically. On the other hand, a liquid crystal type projection television system in which images on a liquid crystal display element forming the images by changing transmittance and reflectivity of the light by means of video signals are magnified and projected on a screen are starting to be developed.
In the case of projecting images on the liquid crystal display element, there occur problems, which are free from the CRT projection, as described below:
(1) Considering the angle-of-view dependency of the liquid crystal display element, a bundle of rays radiated in a specific range of angle toward the liquid crystal display element has to be utilized as a projection bundle of rays in order to project the images, which are formed on the liquid crystal display element according to the video signals, on the screen with high contrast. Therefore, the projection lens are required to have telecentric characteristics that off-axis principal rays become vertical to the liquid crystal display element.
(2) The liquid crystal display element is driven by matrix electrodes, so that it is difficult to electrically compensate picture distortion of the projected images not like the projection system using the CRT devices. Accordingly, the distortion aberration of the projection lens must be as small as possible.
These problems generally become a large obstacle to realize the wide picture angle of the projection lens which is necessary to minimize the size of the projection television system. These problems are not only against the liquid crystal display element but also against other image display elements which forms the images as a result of changes of transmittance and reflectivity of the light by means of video signals using biretringence or rotatory polarization characteristics such as electric optical crystal and PLZT or the like having angle-of-view dependency.